Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Multi-million dollar fraud at GPL…Carvil Duncan to face trial alone
—after DPP withdraws charges against Ash Deonarine
Former Director of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Carvil Duncan will now face trial alone for a fraud
Carvil Duncan
at the power company in which over $27M was allegedly stolen.
Duncan along with the company’s Former Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO Aeshwar Deonarine was jointly charged with conspiring with each other to steal the monies from GPL on three separate occasions.
However, Deonarine’s name was amended from the charges yesterday by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. The amendment comes one month after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) withdrew the charges against him in order to proceed with the trial of Duncan.
Deonarine fled Guyana since last year causing a warrant to be issued for his arrest. It was disclosed in court that the man had fled to Canada.
Duncan who is 73 years old and resides in Festival City, Georgetown, is accused of conspiring with another to commit a felony that is to say simple larceny. It is alleged that between May 7 and 8, Duncan conspired with another to steal the sum of $27,757,500 property of GPL.
It was also alleged that on March 31, Duncan conspired with another to steal $984, 900 belonging to GPL.
Duncan, who is the President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Union (GTU), pleaded not guilty to the allegations. He is currently out on $1M bail.
Police Prosecutor, Neville Jeffers requested a short adjournment date for fixture of trial.
Magistrate McLennan set July 5, for reports.
Aeshwar Deonarine
The two former senior officials are accused of being part of a multi-million-dollar fraud at GPL. The men are alleged to have illegally transferred close to $30M to their personal bank accounts from Petro Caribe Funds.
The Government had asked the police to investigate the two senior officials last July. It was reported that the men paid themselves almost $29M without authorization.
In light of investigations, Deonarine was sent on administrative leave.
The discoveries of the suspicious transfers were made by independent auditors who were probing the PetroCaribe Fund, which holds proceeds of oil shipments taken from neighbouring Venezuela.
It was while tracking payments to GPL that auditors unearthed the unusual transactions.
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Why not proceed with the case against Deonarine ex parte. First he was sent on leave while a there was a seeming deliberate attempt to give him time to flee. Based on the evidence and his admission, he could have been arrested and charged immediately. Politics really make strange bedfellows in Guyana.
I have been so far baffled over these allegations of theft in the previous administration. Is it me seeing the world thru jaded glasses in observing that the ones who steal the least are the ones brought before the courts ? If found guilty this man should serve time in jail not only for stealing but also for his penchant ignorance.
If Aeshwar Deonarine is in Canada, how come the RCMP cannot arrest him?
Did the DPP withdraw the arrest warrant also?